WHO: Alejo & Faihan WHEN: Valentine's Day WHERE: Vacationing On the Water SUMMARY: Is that a diamond in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me? CW: Veers towards spice, and then veers away again. But it's mentioned.
âIf this isâŠValentineâs Day at just two monthsâŠâ
Faihan let out a long breath and picked up a rose petal from the bed. There really was a heart made of rose petals on the bed, and he wasnât sure if he should be embarrassed by the cheesiness, or if he was secretly really into it. He put the flower back down and turned to Alejo, laughing helplessly.
â...what is our honeymoon going to look like?â
He ran a hand over the sheer curtains framing the bed and chuckled again, his brow creasing. âItâs like the set of a telenovelaâŠâ
Alejo walked up behind his boyfriend, his strong arms coming up around his waist as he leaned in to press his nose and lips against his neck. âDo you like it?â He asked with a soft and nervous laugh, pulling back enough to try to catch a glimpse of the other manâs features. Faihan shivered, a nice shiver that went down the back of his neck and arms and left him feeling a little fuzzy inside. He did like neck kisses a lot⊠But he glanced back at Alejo and smiled.
âIâm justâŠitâs really amazing. I donât know. Like a fairytale or something.â
âIâd love to be your prince charming.â Alejo chuckled, pressing another light kiss to Faihanâs neck. âOur honeymoon will be us seeing the world.â Just like we wanted to do back then, he thought to himself. âAnyway, we have everything we need here, and if we need anything else, they are a call away.â
Faihan bit his lip, liking that still. Exploring the world with Alejo. Going on adventures, just the two of them⊠Using their abilities to help someone along the way⊠He thought it was what he had wanted since Badr. He reached up, putting a hand on Alejoâs neck and craning to try to kiss his face, if not his mouth.
âSoâŠno distractions, then?â he asked. âI guess Iâll have to find ways to keep you entertained.â
Alejo squeezed the man in his arms. âYouâve got me enraptured 24/7, so youâve got nothing to worry about,â he said, lightly rubbing his fingers over the other manâs stomach. âPlus⊠we can pretend these few days are like us living in our own little houseâI promise to help with the chores.â
Faihan laughed, because, well, what chores were they going to be doing in a place like this? But the idea of Alejo doing little domestic activities with him did make his heart flutter. It wasnât exactly like a house of their own, butâŠhe was okay with playing pretend. He wiggled to try to turn himself around to face Alejo, who protested, but relented, because the brush of his fingers against Faihanâs stomach wasâŠquickly garnering a reaction.
âThat tickles,â he said, which was not exactly true, but if Alejo was hoping to wait until marriage, well, Faihan wanted to try to avoid too much temptation. âSoâŠwhat do you want to do in thisâŠreally beautiful room that doesnât look like people are supposed to sleep in it?â
âI like tickling you,â Alejo immediately replied because it was true, and so he lightly wiggled his fingers over Faihanâs lower back as he trapped him in his arms as soon as he turned around. âWhatever you want to do, mi corazĂłn. Iâm all yours, and-âwell, I got us a nice sound system, some cards, and things to have fun, but⊠I just want to be with you.â
Faihan smiled and then laughed, ducking his head to press his brow against Alejo. âI do wish it was our honeymoon. For once, thereâs no one anywhere nearbyâŠâ He looked up. âAnd all these rose petals that need crushing. But just listening to music or playing cards is fine.â
He shifted a little so that hopefully Alejo wouldnât notice heâd gotten a little hard just from the mix of proximity and gentle touching.
His life, a timeline of concealed hard ons.
And a few not so concealed.
âI hope our honeymoon is more than just seeing the world though,â he said, tugging on Alejoâs collar and smirking just a little.
Alejo blinked a few times, tilting his head. âWhat else do you want to do?â He, of course, would be more than happy to give Faihan anything he wanted. âWe can add everything you want to the list, but you sound a bit disappointed about now, too⊠so letâs fix it and do something you really want!â
Faihan crooked a brow, still smirking so that the dimple in his left cheek only deepened. He put his arms around Alejoâs neck. âIâd like to discover all kinds of things with you. But first, youâll have to carry me across the thresholdâŠâ He gave a little leap, trying to wrap his legs around Alejoâs hips. âIâd carry you, but I bet youâd complainâŠ.â
The fact Faihan wanted to be carried had Alejo grinning like a fool, his excitement palpable from his features to his body language, almost like a loyal dog, and wasting no time, he swept Faihan off of his feet, both of his hands resting on his butt to give him a seat. âLead the way, my prince. Your loyal minion will take you.â He began to walk in the general direction, but he waited for instruction.
âI canât lead the wayâŠâ Faihan laughed, because he was looking at Alejo and not in the direction they were going. âBesides, weâre basically already here, soâŠâ he cast a look over his shoulder and then, since Alejo was now bearing the brunt of his weight, pointed with one hand. âTo the other side of the bed. The threshold is now the foot of the bed, so go there.â Already, his smooth moves were in danger, but Faihan had not given up yet.
âWhere are we going?â Alejo was asking with childish petulance and mirth both, barely looking at where he was heading because he leaned in to steal a quick peck, and then he paused to give his boyfriend a nose kiss. âOver here?â
âYes, over thereâŠâ Faihan laughed. âWe might need to spend some time practicing, because there will be a lot more distractions when we really do this.â He wasâŠonly half-joking. The little bakerâs need for perfection in all things meant that he was now moderately worried that they would not correctly cross the threshold on their wedding night. âOkay, waââ He cleared his throat, trying to sound serious again. âHere is good. This is the destination, but we need to try again, because we didnât do it right, so you have to go back to the door and then walk over to here.â
Alejo blinked in confusion, but he was just happy to continue to carry his boyfriend, so he was heading back to the door with Faihan in his arms. âShould I carry you differently? I could carry you horizontally with ease!â He didnât lift so much weight just for show, after all.
Faihan shook his head. âI donât want to be princess carried,â he replied. âBecause it will be harder to kiss you, and I pictured it that we will definitely be kissing a lot on the way to the room. We should also practice that way.â He waited until they arrived at the door and then leaned in, trying to return to the mood heâd been thinking of before. Gently he bit Alejoâs lower lip, giving it a soft tug, and then softened his mouth invitingly.
âBut I want to princess carry youâŠâ Alejo mumbled to himself, almost dejectedly, but then he heard the word kiss, and his ears perked up. Nodding, he adjusted his grip on his boyfriend, accidentally squeezing a bit more than he intended. With a soft sigh, Alejo kissed back, gently and affectionatelyâ until he bumped his hip on one of their suitcases which tipped over, but thankfully it was closed. He didnât stop, though, reaching their destination.
A muffled sound of surprise escaped him at the sound of the suitcase hitting the floor, but Alejo seemed unconcerned by the casualty, so he let it go, though he thought it would be useful to have their suitcases stowed somewhere better out of the way for the real thing. He liked the sweet way that Alejo always kissed him, so he didnât want to stop. âThis positionâs betterâŠâ he argued between kisses. âPut us on bed...Iâll explain.â
Alejo was unsure of the logisticsâshould he flop down on his back or crush Faihan with his weight? But a little voice told him that Faihan would like the second one and there was less chance of an injury, so why not? Either way, he was obedient as ever, and once his knees touched the edge of the bed, he eased Faihan on top of the rose petals, following right after with his much heavier body. âLike this?â He was proud he managed to lie Faihan down with the pillow underneath his head, so he was looking down at him with a goofy grin. Alejo rested between Faihanâs legs, propping himself up with his elbows.
Nodding, Faihan did not relax his grip with arms or legs, liking the weight of Alejo on top of him and not wanting him to escape that easily. âYou know Iâll have been⊠⊠âŠlonging to be with you forâŠtwo lifetimes by then?â he asked, face warming. He kissed Alejoâs chin, as was now one of his favorite hobbies in this lifeâfollowed only by running his fingers up the nape of his neck through his hair (which he also indulged in)âby way of distraction and then leaned back against the pillow to study Alejoâs face.
âHavenât we been together forâoh. OoohâŠ!â Alejoâs cheeks warmed up, and he let out a soft and little shy laugh. Together, like that. Of course he got it, he was smart and not naive!
Faihan had been thinking to pick on Alejo just a little, or at least to see what would happen if he wanted to be a little more sultry, but he found himself feeling self-conscious and not sure if he was brave enough to go any further. Possibly Alejo wouldnât get it, or maybe he would, but heâd think it was⊠too forward. If he was expecting not exactly pure of mind, but nonetheless innocent and untouched BadrâŠ
He cleared his throat quietly. âI told youâŠall that tickling was rude, right?â As Alejo nodded his head in response, Faihan could feel his pulse, beating hard in his throat and wrist, and hear it in his ears. He hesitated, frightened to reveal he wanted something when it required asking rather than a simple âcome over at ââ and click of a button. Especially because it wasnât something he intended on taking right now, so he was being kind of mean, but⊠Alejo had been the one tickling him again, and heâŠ
He took a shaky breath and rolled his hips, pinning the results of all those light touches and tickles and sweet kisses between their belliesâto make it abundantly clear that he had been affected. Even though Alejo had definitely noticed in the shower, and heâd also noticed Alejo noticing, he still felt nervous. It was one thing to be seen (because getting hard was not a situation he had that much control over); it was another thing to, if briefly, allow Alejo feel it.
Alejo only made a soft sound of surprise, his cheeks turning a shade redder.
âIâŠI want you to carry me like thatâŠso youâŠfeelâŠfeel this. How much I need youâŠâ He lowered his eyes, embarrassed. âAndâŠs-so that youâre close enoughâŠto feel how my heartâŠalso beatsâŠwhen youâre near.â His lashes flickered, casting shadows across the faint freckling of his now extremely red cheeks. Mushy and spicy? He should be good at at least one or the other, but he thought maybe he was bad at both. âI justâŠwant to be close to youâŠas close as we can be. On that night, I mean,â he mumbled, not looking upâŠand then attempted to escape, thinking he had to have embarrassed himself horribly at this point, and it was all going to be weird now.
There was nothing much Alejo could say or do, really, when his heart was beating so fast he could feel it beating against his chest, and the drumming in his ears deafened his thoughts. It wasnât like he was experienced or good at this type of conversation in the first place, so it was a small miracle he didnât pass out because his heart was acting like a hummingbird.
So after a moment of staring blankly with wide eyes, and keenly aware that his own hardness had to be poking Faihan, Alejo cupped those rosy cheeks to caress them, and lean in for a clumsy but heartfelt kiss, letting it linger to convey his feelings of unbridled affection.
Faihan stopped making efforts to escape or look away. Kissing was happening, and that had a tendency to stop him in his tracks anyway. He relaxed and instead just ran his hand through Alejoâs hair for a moment. The kiss seemed a little messy, but he didnât hate that either. He liked any time Alejo was feeling enthusiastic.
Alejo pulled back, trying and almost failing to make eye contact with Faihan, and Faihan made a soft, disgruntled sound at the sudden lack of kissing in his life, but stopped when he saw the expression on Alejoâs face.
It was now too heavy in his pocket. The small box. And so, disregarding all his carefully laid-out plans to do this underneath the stars, Alejo blurted out, âIloveyouwillyoumarryme.â
He even forgot to reach into his pocket.
What did Alejo say? Faihan wasnât sure, because it was so fast. He was quiet for a moment, before deciding that heâd at least heard a declaration of love, so putting his hand on Alejoâs chest, he replied, âI loveâŠI love you too.â He had said it out loud a few times now, but he was still embarrassed about that level of honesty. Heâd been working on it, but it was a lot to be that vulnerable still, even with Alejo. Still, he was happy, to hear it, to say it. He smiled, feeling Alejoâs heartbeat against the palm of his hand, and then he tried to catch Alejoâs eye.
âWhat was the second part, though? I didnât catch itâŠâ
âUhhh⊠ah⊠forget about it?â Alejo gulped, completely losing his spark of reckless confidence, mumbling an apology that only made half sense before he looked at Faihanâs pretty eyes again. âI love you,â he repeated, this time more confidently, sealing the deal with a sweet kiss to his boyfriendâs lips.
Narrowing his eyes a little, Faihan started to try to sit up and protest, but Alejo started kissing him again, and he sighed, letting them fall shut and kiss him back. It was sometimes surprising to him that he was happy like this. It was maybe a little embarrassing, but in this life, he hadnât felt this kind of happy since he was a kid. Badr seemed to have had plenty of such moments, even through adolescence and adulthood, but Faihan hadnât, and sometimes he wondered if this was real. He was pretty sure heâd never done anything to deserve to feel this way, especially not as Faihan, but he wasnât going to complain. It was good, being with Alejoâfeeling happy. But after a moment he tried to reach down to pat Alejoâs buttâwhich he could not actually reach, so instead, he lightly spanked his hip bone, mumbling into the kiss, âBut what did you say?â
Alejo licked his lips and looked away, his grip on Faihan tightening a bit too hard for a brief moment before he let go. He took a deep breath, opened his mouth, but the words refused to come out.
Was he really chickening out now?! Him, the courageous Chosen of Light?!
â...................a.â
Yes, yes he was.
Faihan cringed just a little at how tightly he was being held. It was a teeny bit hard to breathe for a second, but it was only a second, so he just shook his head, confused about why Alejo seemed so unusually flustered. Since he was in the area, and because he was a little chilly despite it not being cold, he decided to put his hands under Alejoâs shirt to warm them, letting them rest lightly below his rib cage.
âDid I tease you too much?â he asked after a moment, thinking that maybe heâd infringed upon Alejoâs innocence and that was why the cat had caught his tongue. He unlocked his legs, letting them fall open as much as his jeans would allow and instead ran his hands up and down Alejoâs back, soothingly. âI donât expect you to do anything. I know you want to wait and that itâs important to you. Iâm fine with only kissing.â
Alejo shook his head a few times. No, it wasnât that, he wanted to say, but every time he opened his mouth to talk, nothing came out. So, he decided, he had to do it now or their entire day would be miserable. So, after stealing a kiss for good luck and courage, Alejo pulled back and away to stand up.
Without much of a prompt, he knelt in front of the bed, pulling out the small box in his pocket. âBadr⊠Faihan, will you marry me?â Alejo opened up the box to reveal a rose gold band. How did he manage to say that? He didnât know, but the wait for an answer will surely kill him.
Faihan sat up, adjusting his hair, trying to get it to curl again instead of fuzz, not sure why Alejo was being so quiet. He was about to say again that they had time, that he was just playing around, and he really didnât have to do a single sexy thing until their wedding nightâwhenever that would beâbecause Alejo started to kneel, and Faihan couldnât help but think he had to be pushing himself too hard if he was about to suggestâŠ
âŠ
⊠âŠ
⊠⊠âŠ
The other thing people knelt for. He was frozen, not sure he was really seeing what Alejo was holding, much less hearing what he was asking. It wasnât a joke. Or a fantasy. He had expected it wasnât, because Alejo was much too earnest to bring up something that serious and not mean it. But still, Faihan had let himself think all the brother-in-law and after-weâre-married stuff was in jest, because it was less overwhelming that way. The ring blurred before him, along with Alejoâs face, and he blinked, clearing his eyesâŠonly for them to well again. He was momentarily unsure what he was supposed to do, besides wipe at his face and nod yes, because he was scared that if he didnât respond, the offer would disappear, but he couldnât seem to make words happen, just nodding a lot and sniffing. It took a full minute, maybe two, of this, before he could even form a âMhm,â in the back of his throat.
âAreâ are you okay?â Alejo was momentarily distraught, his eyes wide as saucers, but then Faihan was nodding his head, and his heart finally stopped trying to kill him. Without getting up, Alejo scooted closer, picking up the ring from the box, and gently and carefully slipping it on what he thought was the right finger. He had taken the measurements a few times while Faihan was asleep, so at least he was sure about that.
His face was definitely getting puffy and wet and not cute, but Faihan took his hands away, quickly wiping them on his jeans and giving a big sniff to try to get his emotions under control as Alejo put the ring on his finger, andâŠthe feel of it on his skin was strange, because it was an engagement ring, and it had been given to himâŠby someone he really loved, and it was actually something that was happening and not just something they were talking about. He thought he was about to start crying again, so he slipped off the bed, onto his knees, and threw his arms around Alejoâs neck, trying not to get his neck or shoulder wet as he clung.
He could feel the ring pinching his skin, because he was holding so tight, and it was still cool, andâŠit was real. All the things he and Badr had always thought would never happen, everything theyâd always assumed was just out of their reachâŠit was right here. âYa omriâŠya omriâŠIâm notâŠdreaming? Iâm not dreaming, right?â
Alejo embraced Faihan tightly as soon as he was within reach, cradling him in his arms, and tucking his head gently with his hand. His misty eyes finally overflowed, letting them roll down his cheeks as he pressed his face to Faihanâs shoulder.
âI donât know what that means, but me too,â he said with a sniffle, squeezing Faihan a bit too tight for a second before he remembered, and his touch became gentle once again. âI love you, mi corazĂłn, and this is nothing but pure and true and real.â
Was it bad he was a little relieved that Alejo hadnât stayed dry-eyed either? He was though. Faihan did feel a little better knowing it was just him who felt overcome by the reality that finallyâŠafter everything, they were going to be together. Always. He pinned his lips between his teeth, taking in a shuddering breath, and hugged Alejo tightly again for a moment. âIt meansâŠmy lifetime. You are my lifetime,â he managed, though the words sounded a little sloppy. He tried to wipe his face on his forearm again and pulled back, so he could look Alejo in the eye.
âYou are my person then and nowâŠand always.â
âYouâre my forever,â Alejo replied with reddened eyes after wiping his face with the back of his hand. âMy everything, and so, I will give you my all, the entirety of my essence, itâs all yours.â With another deep breath, and looking at Faihan in the eye, he was finally regaining some composure.
Faihan leaned forward, to press his brow to Alejoâs, and he hoped his eyes werenât too red or swollen, but he was smiling. He had not managed to stop smiling, though stunned, since Alejo had put the ring on his finger. Somehow, he managed to keep from crying even more at Alejoâs proclamation, though it made his heart soar past what he thought he could even handle, but there it was, this moment of complete joy, and it was hisâit was theirs.
He laughed a little, moving his hands to touch Alejoâs jaw and kiss the tear lines on each cheek. âI thought Iâd have more time to save up,â he admitted between kissing the remnants of each tear away. âIâll have to think of something extra special to surprise you with.â He laughed a little, pressing his fingers through Alejoâs hair. âTell me one more time: Iâm not dreaming, right?â
Alejo closed his eyes, happily receiving the affections. âYou donât have to get me anything.â He laughed a little with his boyfriend, opening his eyes after he felt that Faihan had pulled back a little when he asked that question. Alejo took the hand with the ring on it and brought it to his chest. âDo you feel it? My heart beating for you?â
He leaned in closer to press a light kiss to Faihanâs lips. âDo you feel me against your skin? This is real. Weâre here. Together.â
Faihan nodded, curling his fingers just a little, like he could hold Alejoâs heart in his handâsomething small and warm and invaluableâprotect it just with that touch. But he could feel it, beating with the same excited pounding as his own. He took a breath, almost like a gasp, and then laughed again, disbelief melting into a laugh thatâŠwell. A few months ago, a year agoâŠhe had only laughed seldomly at the first placeâit happened so rarely that heâd forgotten what his own voice sounded like, happy that way. It sounded a little strange to him now, too, becauseâŠit sounded like the way Badr laughed. Easy. Uncomplicated. Light. But it was him. This moment was his, and this feeling was his, and he was Badr and he was Faihan, and it had taken a long time to be here, butâŠ
âYes,â he finally said, since he had finally found the wherewithal to say it properly. âYes.â He closed his eyes and leaned against Alejo, breathing him in, pressing his hand flat to feel the beat of Alejoâs precious heart. âYes,â he whispered once more for good measure. He pressed a kiss to Alejoâs neck and sighed softly. â...I thinkâŠI have a new bar for happy. Thank you.â
Faihan looked over his shoulder at the water and then back at Alejo. âIâm not a very good swimmer,â he said, pursing his mouth. âButâŠI wonât take it back. I will, however, most definitely get revenge later, so keep that in mindâŠâ He chuckled, smiling around his lower lip, caught between his teeth. âAnd I will put my cold feet on you, too. Are you prepared for that?â
Alejo made the motions as if he were to toss Faihan in the water, but then he spun him back to safety, just walking around so they could gaze at their surroundings. âIâll never let you go,â he said, casually, stopping to smile at Faihan and steal a quick peck. After a moment of wandering, he headed back to their bed with Faihan in his arms the way he wanted him to be.
Faihan followed his gaze to the bed and then back to Alejoâs reddening face and his mouth scrunched to the side. Of course, he wanted to take everything further, as far as it could go, with Alejo. He wanted Alejo to have every part of him that he was interested in taking and vice versa. But Alejo had said he wanted to hold off until marriage.
âWhat about waiting until our wedding nightâŠ?â he asked. âI donât want to do anything to mess that up for youâŠâ
Gritting his teeth, Alejo nodded his head. âRight, uh,â He laughed nervously, unsure of what to do because he had expected Faihan to say yes, and if he had to be honest with himself⊠Well, he was curious, who could blame him? Plus they were already engaged andâŠ
Okay, Faihan said no, so thatâs no.
Still, he deposited the other man on the bed before following after him, lying on his side and doing his best not to look like a kid who was just denied an extra slice of cake.
His heart had started going crazy again, his pulse feeling like a sparks under his skin. It was really hard to say ânoâ to Alejo about anything, especially when it was something he also really wanted, but Faihan thought this was for the best. He already couldnât give Alejo his first time, but he still wanted it to be special.
âThere are other thingsâŠthat arenât, you know, thatâŠif you wanted toâŠumâŠtry something thatâs more than kissing, but not quiteâŠâ It was a little complicated, because heâd always of thought of people sharing an intimate, physical moment as âsex,â but he supposed there probably were tiers. âBut we could also just go swimming? Cold water is useful that wayâŠâ
Even if he was thinking that his rules could be flexibilized since Faihan did have a ring on his finger already, anywayâŠ
Oh well.
Then he realized he was sulking, so Alejo leaned over to give Faihan a peck.
Faihan had a feeling that if he admitted he didnât really care about waitingâthat he really only cared because Alejo didâthat their willpower was not going to hold. He was a little worried about how he was going to maintain that willpower long enough to get married if it was like months away⊠He groaned (groaned and laughed at the same time), rolling onto his face for a moment.
âWhy do you have to be so handsome?â he muttered into the pillow. âAnd hot. And cute, too.â He sighed and looked back at Alejo. âBut you said that it was important to you, and if itâs important to you, it is important to me. But oh my god, please donât make me the guardian of our pre-wedding chastity⊠That is not a role I am going to be good atâŠâ
âBorn this way,â Alejo laughed, stroking his chin. âBut I gave you the key with that ring, so⊠if you want to or not want to, I, uhâŠâ He chuckled nervously and sheepishly as his cheeks turned warm and redâit was always impossible for him not to be completely transparent as his body language always gave him completely away.
âIn my heart, youâre already my husband, but if you want to wait until everything is official, I can wait,â His smile shone brightly, eyes turning a bit smaller. âBut I⊠Iâm yours, in every way you want me.â
Reasonably speaking, they were probably just adrenalized by the engagementâŠit made a lapse in willpower a troublesome thing. If they did fool around, Faihan knew he wasnât going to feel any different about things tomorrow, or on their wedding day. He would want Alejo just as much in an hour, a day, a yearâŠwith any luck, in the next lifetime, too. Maybe it was the same for Alejo, but maybe also giving over to the moment now would take away something that Alejo had been dreaming about for at least part of his adult life. It seemed unlikely, but he also hated the idea that Alejo might regret giving in now. He hated the idea that Alejoâs romantic fantasy of consummating their feelings on their wedding night could be undermined by a spur-of-the-moment decision now.
Reluctantlyâvery, very reluctantlyâhe shook his head and sighed.
âNo, we have to wait,â he finally said. âBecause there are some things I have never given to anyone else, and I donât want to even give them to youâŠuntil that perfect night. And if weâŠuhâŠmake loveâŠnowâŠâ Make love sounded so corny, but it also was the only way to say it that made sense in context to Alejo⊠He cleared his throat. âI will give it to you, and I wonât have anything special to offer you then.â
Alejo nodded his head, cupping Faihanâs cheek. âIf you think we should wait, weâll wait.â Even if it pained him dearly after the things Faihan had said earlier. How was he supposed to wait until then? Maybe he shouldnât have followed precepts of a religion he didn't even followâŠ
Those words though, Alejo took issue with them, frowning as he stroked Faihanâs cheek. âYouâre always. Always special. Even when itâs our one-hundredth time making love, your entire being is special.â
He had long thought that all Alejo had to say was, âI want you,â and Faihan would offer him everything. So he knew already this was probably going to be a difficult decision to uphold. But he was decided.
âEven though youâre right, and it wonât matter if itâs the first or the thousandthâI want it to beâŠa memory you treasure. Something more beautiful than even this ring.â He held it between them and then he laughed. âJustâŠletâs not get married like a year later, because I only have so much self-control. Alejo⊠Youâre going to be my husband.â He still seemed a little shocked at the words. He took Alejoâs face in his hands and kissed him. âWeâre really going to be married.â
He smiled, more brightly than he ever had before.
Grinning, Alejo nodded his head. âWe really are,â he replied, reaching over to lace their fingers together, squeezing Faihanâs hand. âIn my heart we already are,â he added as he traced the ring with his fingertip. âIâm not going to stop tickling and touching you, though,â he warned as he tugged Faihan close, moving a leg to rest over him possessively.
âBut⊠we canât marry until we have solved everything, okay?â That was partly why he wanted to, well, consummate their future wedding today.
Faihan smiled, admiring their fingers entwined. It was, he felt, a nice picture. He glanced at Alejoâs face and thought that was an even better oneâthough he rolled his eyes when Alejo warned him of the temptations he would have to continue to avoid. Well, heâd made it this far, and through two lifetimes to bootâŠhe thought he could handle a little longer. But his eyes lifted, curiously, at the second caveat.
For a moment, Faihan was silent, wondering if he really had made the right choice. Brought back to reality, he wondered if he wasnât throwing away their second chance. To solve everything, they were going to have to face the Dark Knightâmaybe even fight them, and there were no guarantees⊠But he closed his eyes, shaking his head.
âThatâs all the more reason. I donât want to do anything that makes it easy to give up later. I want to keep building on what our future could be, so that we have every reason to survive and keep going.â He met Alejoâs eyes, his expression serious. âBecause I am going to have my wedding night with you, and Iâm going to see the world with youâŠand when weâre ready, weâre going to have a big, beautiful family. That future is going to be even better than this moment right now, so I can wait until weâve resolved this situation, because we are going to resolve it. Weâre going to live through everything, and weâre going to be happy in the endâstarting with our wedding night.â
Alejo arched his eyebrow. âI have no plans to give up, even if you laid with your husband to be today.â But at least, he understood and respected the sentiment. His expression softened as Faihan continued, simply nodding his head. âWeâll build our future, together.â And in that future, there was no room for turmoil, so they had to fix everything before then.
Heâd gotten a little fired up by the sentiment (perhaps in part because it had been hard to convince himself that heâd chosen right), but at Alejoâs soft expression, he, too, relaxed, happy to move closer (though his legs were still pinned under Alejoâs) and to kiss Alejo back, slowly and softly.
âI love you, too,â Faihan said, this time with less self-consciousness. He smiled, meeting Alejoâs gaze. âCan we lie like this for a little while? I donât need anything else. I justâŠwant to be with you, here and now, like this.â
âYou donât have to ask twice, ya omri,â Alejo said, a bit too proud of his memory even if his pronunciation wasnât the best. He shifted, tangling up their limbs even further, arms wrapped tight around Faihan and pulling him close until he could tuck him underneath his head. âWe can be like this for as long as you want us to be.â
Faihanâs face warmed at the nicknameâadmiring how quickly Alejo had picked it up. He lifted his head just enough to help Alejo get them situated, and then he closed his eyes. Probably âforeverâ wasnât possible, but he thought âjust for nowâ was good enough. He slipped one hand back under Alejoâs shirt, running his fingers along the shapes and shifts of muscle, kneading occasionally.
But really, what else in the world could he need, other than what he had right here before him, right now?
âClose your eyes. Iâll sing you a song.â
Alejo was too keenly aware of Faihanâs touch now that he had been honest, but he was a man of resolve. He could do this! He was going to be well-behaved. Yes, definitely. For sure.
Right?
He pressed a kiss to the top of Faihanâs head. âWhy are you ashamed of when youâre your most beautiful?â But he compiled just the same, catching one final look at Faihan before he closed his eyes, slowly pushing his hands up the back of his shirt.
It was altogether very warm and comfortable to be close to Alejo like this, and Faihan was worried he might drift to sleep before he could think of a good song. After the helicopter ride and the proposal and his Herculean feat of self-controlâŠhe was pretty tired at least.
He thought about singing the one that Badr had sung to Titus at the winter masqueradeâthat he had sung to Alejo at Christmas. But it felt like it belonged to another moment now, so instead, he just picked a personal favorite, almost humming, almost whispering, as much as singing, âMoon river, wider than a mile⊠I'm crossing you in style, someday. Oh, dream maker, you heartbreakerâŠwherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way⊠Two drifters, off to see the world. There's such a lot of world to see. We're after the same rainbow's end, waitin' 'round the bend, my huckleberry friend⊠Moon river and me...â
He knew this song, smiling to himself as he heard Faihanâs beautiful voice, and after he let him sing a few lines alone, Alejo began to sing along, his voice blending with Faihanâs in harmony.
Even better than the way their fingers folded together, Faihan liked the way their voices melted in harmony. He thought to himself that their future children were going to be very lucky at bedtime. As the song ended, he scrunched closer, to tuck his head under Alejoâs chin and curl as close as he possibly could. He would have said that kind of thing was silly or embarrassing not so long ago, but now, he felt wholly comfortable, small and safe inside Alejoâs embrace, listening to the ocean lapping outside, and the echo of their harmony fading into the bedside curtains.
He sighed happily and, adjusting himself once more for maximum comfort, mumbled, âIâm going to take a nap. Just this one time. And after thatâŠâ Well, he supposed theyâd figure it out then.
Alejo opened his eyes briefly to nuzzle into Faihanâs hair. âIâll meet you in our dreams, okay? Then we can see what we do.â His hands moved further up Faihanâs shirt to trace patterns on his back, sighing happily.